Internet tax
Spain is to tax large internet companies,
such as Google, which have a worldwide
turnover of over €750 million, of which
more than €3 million is generated in
Spain. The government hopes the
move, which also includes a 3% tax on
on-line advertising, sales of user data
and on-line platforms, will raise tax
revenue of €1.2 billion in 2019. A
crackdown on corporate tax evasion is
expected to raise a further €800
million.
Seat recall
Seat has urged owners of its Ibiza model
to get them checked after a fault was
discovered in the locking system. The
Barcelona-based car manufacturer says
the problem affects only those built
between certain dates, but has not
specified these. The problem with the
central locking could lead doors being
unable to be opened from the inside,
posing a risk in the case of an accident
or fire.
Air data
Energy transition minister Teresa
Ribera says a website will soon give
access to air-quality data across the
country. The initiative will be part of
the National Air Control Programme
launching next April. In recent months,
both Barcelona and Madrid have
applied traffic restrictions in their city
centres on days when pollution readings
have been high.
Metro scare
Málaga’s Metro took four new trains
out of service last month after it was
discovered they had been covered
with paint which included asbestos.
The precautionary move was taken
because it was feared that, with
degradation over time, this could
present a danger to users. The CCOO
trades union claimed a total of 15
trains on the system were out of
service for similar reasons.
Cancer breakthrough
Scientists at Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic
have developed a test which predicts
how cancer cells will respond to
therapy, independently of the type of
cancer. Their results, described as the
breakthrough heralding a new era in
oncology medications, have been
detailed in the Annals of Oncology, a
medical journal published by Oxford
University Press. The next stage will be
clinical trials.
Spain’s health “best
in Europe”
Healthcare in Spain is the best in
Europe, according to the latest
annual ranking compiled by finance
analysts Bloomberg. In addition, it’s
the third most efficient in the world,
beaten only by Hong Kong and
Singapore.
Bloomberg reviewed the national
health services in 56 countries and
placed Bulgaria in last place, just below
the USA and Azerbaijan. In Europe,
Germany received the lowest ranking -
45th having fallen six places since last
year - followed by Hungary in 42nd
place.
Denmark sits at 41, beaten by
Venezuela and Iran, while Belgium at
38 ranks below Romania and Peru. The
UK takes a large tumble of 14 places on
last year’s ratings, placing it at 35, while
Finland, Portugal and France fail to
make it into the top 15, and Greece,
Ireland, Switzerland and Norway are
outside the top 10.
Bloomberg’s data reveal that Spain’s
efficiency score of 69.3 out of 100 is by
far the best on the continent of Europe
and in the European Union. However,
it is still a good way behind Singapore's
85.6 and Hong Kong’s 87.3 efficiency
rankings.
The study also shows that Spanish
residents have the highest life
expectancy in the EU, and Spain has
some of the largest numbers of those
aged over 100 years. The oldest
resident is believed to be Magdalena
Oliver Gabarró of Barcelona who was
due to celebrate her 115th birthday on
October 31.
Spanish drivers fail to
signal
A new survey has revealed that more
than half the drivers on Spain’s
autovías do not use their indicators
when overtaking. The study,
commissioned by the motorway toll
company Albertis, also claims that two-
thirds also fail to do so when returning
to an inside lane.
The survey, carried out in on the AP-7
in Barcelona, reveals that the practice is
on the increase. It says that, since the
same time last year, 13.5 per cent more
drivers fail to signal when pulling out,
and 17.4 per cent more give no
indication when returning to a right-
hand lane.
A failure to indicate in such
circumstances could attract a fine of
€200 for the driver. The regulation
also applies to other manoeuvres such
as entering or leaving a junction, or
any situation in which other road users
could be put in danger.
The survey also studied traffic speeds
and reported that more than a third of
drivers admitted at travelling “slightly”
over the speed limit. In the case of
professional drivers, around 18 per cent
12
of coach drivers and 36 per cent of
transport drivers admitted doing so.
The Spanish traffic authority, the
General Directorate of Traffic (DGT),
says statistics show that speeding is a
major contributor to 26 per cent of
accidents involving serious injury or
death.
Meanwhile, the DGT says it will
introduce regulations to control the use
of electric scooters. So far, only Madrid
has passed a by-law which bans users
from travelling on pavements or in bus
lanes.
Metro milestone
King Felipe marked the 100th
anniversary of the Madrid Metro by
boarding a train at the Sol station and
travelling for 12 stops. His great-
grandfather, King Alfonso III, opened
the metro on October 17, 1919, and
King Felipe posed for photographs in
the same spot at the Chamartín
terminal. Madrid’s regional president
Ángel Garridothen later guided the
monarch around a classic train carriage
exhibition.